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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stock — goods
  15. net — for catching
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — help
  18. mug — a face
  19. bank — for money
  20. net — in sport
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a football final

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