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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chip · branch · stock · perch · bear · board · press · file

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stock — goods
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. press — to push
  13. chip — for betting
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. file — a document
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. file — a tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bear — the animal
  24. press — a publisher

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