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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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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: mark · net · chip · branch · cabinet · stock · bay · firm

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — shares
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. firm — decided
  22. mark — a grade
  23. firm — a company
  24. branch — a division

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