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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: branch · fine · can · pop · craft · pit · cell · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — all right
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pop — music
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — boats
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. can — to be able to
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pop — soda
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. branch — a division
  22. pop — to visit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — high quality

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