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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stock — goods
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. stock — shares
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pound — a weight
  23. spell — magic
  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