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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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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: bear · pit · stick · wave · game · present · branch · stock

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stock — goods
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — wild animals
  14. present — there
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stock — shares
  17. game — a match
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. present — a gift
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. present — the time now

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