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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stock — shares
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — a measure
  17. toast — bread
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. racket — for tennis

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