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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stock — shares
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. object — a thing
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. object — an aim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. lean — to bend
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. object — to protest
  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