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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: wave · stock · content · sharp · saw · branch · bear · mouse

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. content — happy
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — clever
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. content — the amount
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. branch — a division
  24. sharp — exactly

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