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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 120 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: pit · leaves · branch · craft · tear · ball · stock · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ball — a great time
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. tear — from crying
  13. charge — a price
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. branch — a division
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — shares
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. craft — a skill

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