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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rest — a break
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stock — shares

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