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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bank — for money
  5. bore — to tire
  6. can — a tin
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — for money
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stock — goods

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