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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. present — a gift
  4. stock — shares
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. branch — a division
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. present — the time now
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pop — to visit
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — goods
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pop — music
  24. present — there

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