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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 120 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: pound · branch · mark · craft · saw · track · stock · ruler

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stock — shares
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a song
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. branch — a division
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. craft — boats

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