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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — all right
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — of water
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. current — electric
  7. clip — for paper
  8. current — happening now
  9. stock — goods
  10. can — to be able to
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bank — of a river
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. clip — a video
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — a penalty

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