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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: pitcher · can · board · rock · tube · stock · branch · fork

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — to get on
  15. stock — shares
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stock — goods
  24. branch — of a tree

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