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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 120 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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. branch — a division
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. band — a music group
  10. stock — shares
  11. lean — thin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lean — to bend
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a ring
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — goods
  24. band — a rubber band

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