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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — low music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stock — shares
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bank — for money
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a friend
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mate — to breed
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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