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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — an aim
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mark — a grade
  12. object — to protest
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a list
  18. deal — to handle
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — for money
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. object — a thing
  24. roll — a cake

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