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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. track — to keep track
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — a song
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. track — a path

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