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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: rest · branch · season · wound · stock · rock · can · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stock — shares
  3. season — in sport
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — a division
  7. rest — what's left
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — of the year
  16. stock — goods
  17. rest — a break
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — music
  23. branch — of a tree
  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