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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — shares
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wake — a trail
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. arm — part of the body

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