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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: capital · rash · branch · cap · stock · season · stick · perch

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cap — a lid
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. season — in sport
  12. rash — a series
  13. season — of the year
  14. capital — a city
  15. stock — shares
  16. perch — the fish
  17. capital — money
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — a division
  24. cap — a hat

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