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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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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: cell · saw · bulb · present · branch · stock · craft · season

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. present — there
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — boats
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. season — in sport
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cell — in biology
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. craft — a skill
  18. season — of the year
  19. present — the time now
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cell — a phone
  24. season — to add flavour

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