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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: stock · branch · saw · bear · can · spell · object · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spell — letters
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. branch — a division
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stock — shares
  23. object — an aim
  24. rest — what's left

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