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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — bread
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. arm — a part of something

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