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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. scale — in music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. branch — a division
  10. scale — size or range
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stock — goods
  23. fine — all right
  24. cue — a signal

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