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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 116 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
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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: fine · stock · mate · bowl · branch · bark · race · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mate — a friend
  4. race — humankind
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. race — a contest
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. branch — a division
  11. fine — all right
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. race — the arms race
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stock — goods
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stock — shares
  24. bark — of a tree

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