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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. branch — a division
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stock — shares
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. roll — a cake
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fork — a garden tool

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