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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.

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: mouse · bark · bay · branch · stock · prune · swing · safe

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. swing — music
  5. branch — a division
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — shares
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. swing — in golf
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stock — goods
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. swing — to play on

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