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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · bat · mine · stand · mark · calf · lash · bark

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. branch — a division
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bat — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mark — a trace
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mark — to pay attention

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com