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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.

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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. tube — a container
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. court — of a king
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. bank — of a river
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rule — a law
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. court — of law
  22. track — a song
  23. court — for sport
  24. rule — government

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