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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. land — ground
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bank — for money
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. land — to come down
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — goods
  14. band — a music group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. band — a ring
  18. stock — shares
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. land — a country
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — of a river

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