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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 116 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 · craft · stock · swing · rock · bowl · bass · rush

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — a division
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rock — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bass — low music
  15. craft — boats
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stock — goods

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