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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — shares
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bank — for money
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — the fish
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. branch — a division
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — part of the head
  24. leaves — lets stay

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