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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.

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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: can · tube · ball · stock · deal · branch · pitcher · bowl

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stock — goods
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stock — shares
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. can — to be able to
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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