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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.

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: nail · stock · dip · wave · bowl · branch · bear · arm

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stock — goods
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. stock — shares
  13. dip — to sink
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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