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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: lash · row · deal · branch · clip · stick · stock · can

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stock — goods
  7. can — to be able to
  8. deal — to handle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — a division
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. clip — a video
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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