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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: ruler · cabinet · wound · nail · stock · branch · kick · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — shares
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ruler — a monarch

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