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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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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: bay · stock · mouse · rest · key · track · branch · deal

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — shares
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — the most important part
  12. deal — to handle
  13. key — in music
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — goods
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. track — a song
  23. rest — a break
  24. branch — a division

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