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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — shares
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — the tool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stock — goods
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. craft — boats
  21. bank — for money
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bass — low music

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