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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 116 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: branch · saw · row · mate · bay · lash · pitcher · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mate — a friend
  9. row — a line
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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