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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: firm · branch · staff · bank · stock · wound · pitcher · snap

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — a division
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — steady
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. staff — employees
  21. snap — to click
  22. wound — an injury
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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