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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — a division
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. craft — a skill
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bound — obliged
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — boats
  19. bound — certain
  20. tear — to rip
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. branch — of a tree

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