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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: stock · branch · scale · kick · tear · bound · swing · pit

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. branch — a division
  6. swing — in golf
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bound — certain
  9. tear — from crying
  10. kick — in football
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. swing — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. tear — to rip
  17. stock — shares
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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