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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.

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: stock · kid · safe · current · branch · scale · wake · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stock — shares
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. current — of water
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. current — electric
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. kid — to tease
  12. cell — a phone
  13. current — happening now
  14. stock — goods
  15. scale — in music
  16. wake — a trail
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. branch — a division
  22. scale — size or range
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. scale — for weighing

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