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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.

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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 · rule · stand · pit · stock · ground · lie · fork

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ground — a position
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. ground — the earth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. stock — shares
  16. pit — a hole
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — in a race
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lie — an untruth

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