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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kid — to tease
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kid — child
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — boats
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — a friend
  22. branch — a division
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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