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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: branch · mark · stock · fan · firm · wake · mine · bound

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. branch — a division
  10. wake — a trail
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mine — for digging
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — steady
  24. bound — obliged

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