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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · stock · ruler · stick · game · branch · date · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — the fruit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stock — goods
  7. game — wild animals
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stock — shares
  14. present — the time now
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — a division
  22. game — a match
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. present — a gift

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