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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mug — a face
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — a company
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stock — goods
  18. pop — soda
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — decided
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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