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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's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — a price
  7. branch — a division
  8. bark — to shout
  9. fork — in a road
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. spell — letters
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — a committee
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. charge — in control
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spell — magic

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