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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bound — tied together
  3. row — a line
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fall — the season
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fall — to drop
  8. present — the time now
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — to paddle
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — goods
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. present — there
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. fall — to drop

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