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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: fan · pound · temple · lean · stock · stick · branch · pass

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. branch — a division
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lean — thin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stock — goods
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stock — a soup base

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