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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
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: trunk · stock · branch · mouse · racket · prune · tear · cabinet

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. prune — to trim
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — shares
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stock — goods
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. tear — to rip

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