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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: can · band · branch · stand · content · stock · trunk · capital

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. branch — a division
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. band — a ring
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. capital — a city
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. content — happy
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a music group
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stock — shares
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. capital — money

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