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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: cap · roll · object · branch · rash · saw · stock · mark

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cap — a hat
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. branch — a division
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — a series
  12. object — to protest
  13. cap — a lid
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mark — a grade
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. object — a thing
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. roll — a list
  21. cap — of ice
  22. object — an aim
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rash — hasty

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