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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stock — goods
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rule — a law
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rule — government
  21. stock — shares
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bank — for money
  24. wave — of the sea

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