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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 116 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: row · stock · snap · bay · kick · saw · can · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. stock — goods
  3. saw — the tool
  4. row — a line
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kick — in football
  7. row — to paddle
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. can — a tin
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. kick — a thrill
  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