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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 · wave · suit · pit · face · bound · calf · stock

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. suit — clothes
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. face — to confront
  10. bound — certain
  11. face — part of the head
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stock — goods
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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