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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
468
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: fan · fine · branch · march · hide · stock · jam · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. march — the month
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. march — the month
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kick — in football
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fine — all right
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. march — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — goods
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — shares
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. kick — a thrill

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