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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · bay · bark · staff · chip · perch · craft · stock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stock — shares
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — to eat
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stock — goods
  14. craft — boats
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. staff — employees
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bark — to shout
  20. craft — a skill
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. perch — for a bird

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