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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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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — a tin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pop — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pop — soda
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. can — a tin

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