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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — to confront
  3. bear — the animal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. face — part of the head
  6. staff — employees
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rule — a law
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — a line
  13. bank — of a river
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pit — a hole
  16. staff — employees
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rule — government
  20. stock — goods
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stock — shares
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stock — a soup base

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