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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 120 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.

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: branch · fork · content · squash · pound · key · stock · ball

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. content — the amount
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stock — shares
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. branch — a division
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. key — in music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — in a road
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — of a tree

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