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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: stick · temple · hand · craft · stock · cue · fall · branch

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cue — a signal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — help
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stock — goods
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fall — the season
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stock — shares
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hand — in cards
  24. craft — boats

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