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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 120 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
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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 · stock · net · branch · bass · drill · rock · current

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. drill — army training
  4. rock — music
  5. current — of water
  6. stock — goods
  7. rock — a stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — happening now
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. net — in sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. net — after costs
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. current — electric
  20. bass — low music
  21. net — for catching
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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