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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · branch · bass · stock · fall · present · mate · file

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. present — there
  4. bass — low music
  5. file — a tool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. present — the time now
  8. stock — shares
  9. branch — a division
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mate — a friend
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fall — the season
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. present — a gift
  20. stock — goods
  21. file — a document
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a bank

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