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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — goods
  8. band — a music group
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. band — a ring
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bank — of a river

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