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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stock — goods
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. stock — shares
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. swing — to play on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — a tin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. swing — music
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. board — to get on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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