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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 120 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: bore · lie · wave · trunk · stock · bank · stick · branch

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. branch — a division
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stock — shares
  21. bore — to drill
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — for money

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