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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: fall · stock · perch · cabinet · board · current · branch · stand

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. stock — shares
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. branch — a division
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. current — of water
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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