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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — a division
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. can — a tin
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. can — to be able to
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a path
  17. stock — shares
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wave — with your hand

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