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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: bulb · branch · suit · stock · can · temple · coach · row

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. can — to be able to
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — a line
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — goods
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. suit — clothes
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. branch — a division
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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