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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rock — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. stock — shares
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stock — goods
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mug — a face
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — an aim
  21. bank — for money
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mug — a cup
  24. object — to protest

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