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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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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: date · mug · nail · branch · ruler · mark · tear · stock

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mug — a cup
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — goods
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. tear — from crying
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mug — to rob
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mug — a face
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mark — a trace

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