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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: spring · leaves · stock · bat · fall · safe · branch · fork

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. spring — the season
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. spring — of water
  13. stock — shares
  14. fall — the season
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stock — goods
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fork — in a road
  24. leaves — to go away

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