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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.

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

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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: lash · calf · pass · hand · chest · board · branch · bear

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. board — a committee
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hand — help
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. chest — a box
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chest — of your body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. hand — in cards

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