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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.

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: stem · scale · fork · stock · hide · prune · pound · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stock — shares
  3. scale — size or range
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. branch — a division
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. scale — in music
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stock — goods
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — for weighing

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