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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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. can — to be able to
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. ball — a great time
  8. track — a path
  9. stock — shares
  10. can — a tin
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ball — a dance
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — goods
  17. fork — in a road
  18. craft — boats
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. row — a line

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