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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. march — the month
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. root — of a word
  16. stock — goods
  17. cap — of ice
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cap — a lid

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