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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bank — of a river
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — for catching
  9. bank — for money
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — after costs
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. branch — a division
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rash — a series
  21. stock — goods
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rush — hurry

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