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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stock — goods
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — to trim
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — shares
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. foot — a measure
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. can — to be able to
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stock — a soup base

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