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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · coach · branch · stock · bank · mark · bear · trunk

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mark — a trace
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stock — goods
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. branch — of a bank

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