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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: branch · bay · dip · stock · rock · capital · calf · staff

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. staff — employees
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — a division
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. staff — a stick
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. capital — a city
  21. rock — music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. capital — money
  24. rock — a stone

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