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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stock — goods
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stem — to come from
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fork — in a road
  24. stem — of a plant

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