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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stock — shares
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rash — a series
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — goods
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bank — for money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. saw — the tool
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rash — on the skin

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