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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 120 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: bank · leaves · stock · fork · rest · march · calf · prune

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. march — music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stock — shares
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. march — the month
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bank — for money
  20. march — the month
  21. stock — goods
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rest — a break

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