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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stock — goods
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. shower — rain
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. branch — a division

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