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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stock — goods
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. branch — a division
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. season — in sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bear — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. season — of the year
  24. drill — a practice

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