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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. date — the fruit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — goods
  10. suit — to fit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cell — in biology
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cue — a signal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. stock — a soup base

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