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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: rock · key · dip · branch · ruler · arm · pitcher · stock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stock — shares
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stock — goods
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — a division
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. dip — to dunk

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