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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — soda
  10. clip — to cut
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — music
  19. clip — a video
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pop — to visit
  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