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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: arm · dip · stock · key · pit · file · branch · mate

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — the most important part
  9. branch — a division
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mate — a friend
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. key — in music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. key — for a lock
  16. dip — to sink
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mate — a partner
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pit — a hole

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