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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: toast · hide · file · stock · sharp · branch · root · suit

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. toast — bread
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. root — of a word
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. file — a line of people
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a plant
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. file — a document
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. root — the cause
  19. file — a tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — a division
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hide — to keep secret

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