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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. branch — a division
  7. toast — bread
  8. season — of the year
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. season — in sport
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stock — goods

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