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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — a division
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. craft — boats
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pound — a weight
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to drill
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stock — goods
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. suit — to fit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. suit — clothes

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