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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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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: stand · cell · roll · stock · lash · chip · branch · fork

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. branch — a division
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stock — shares
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chip — for betting
  16. roll — a cake
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stock — goods
  21. roll — a list
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cell — a phone

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