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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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. race — a contest
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. race — humankind
  6. stock — goods
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. firm — steady
  10. branch — a division
  11. rock — music
  12. stock — shares
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pass — a permit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — a company
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pass — to succeed

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