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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: mouse · stock · ruler · pit · row · roll · present · branch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — to paddle
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. roll — a cake
  9. row — a line
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. present — there
  14. pit — a hole
  15. roll — a list
  16. stock — shares
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stock — goods
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — a division

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