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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stick · bowl · stock · pitcher · branch · current · fork · hide

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — shares
  19. branch — a division
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stock — goods

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