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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: net · saw · branch · charge · deal · object · stock · bound

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. branch — a division
  4. object — to protest
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bound — tied together
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bound — certain
  12. charge — a price
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. net — in sport
  16. object — an aim
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stock — shares
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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