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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rash — hasty
  4. track — a path
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stock — goods
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. track — a song
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bank — for money
  20. stock — shares
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bank — for money

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