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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. bank — for money
  2. hand — help
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stock — goods
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stock — shares
  11. rule — government
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rule — a law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stock — a soup base
  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