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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wound · branch · stock · fan · jam · racket · can · mug

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mug — a face
  3. stock — goods
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. can — a tin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. can — a tin
  12. wound — an injury
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — a division
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — to be able to
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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