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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: mine · swing · roll · mark · can · branch · hide · stock

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. swing — in golf
  6. can — a tin
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stock — shares
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. swing — music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. branch — a division
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stock — goods
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. roll — a cake
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mark — a trace

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