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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — a division
  4. squash — the sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — a list
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. roll — a cake
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rest — a break
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fan — a supporter

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