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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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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rock — music
  5. cue — a hint
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stock — shares
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stock — goods
  12. club — for dancing
  13. prune — to trim
  14. club — for golf
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cue — a signal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. branch — a division

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