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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: craft · rock · lie · pitcher · bowl · stock · can · branch

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. branch — a division
  3. craft — boats
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rock — a stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rock — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — shares
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stock — goods
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rock — to move gently

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