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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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 tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. present — the time now
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — a grade
  21. present — a gift
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — a hint
  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