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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: lie · branch · pound · fork · cap · bowl · pitcher · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — a hat
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — shares
  24. fork — a garden tool

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