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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — shares
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — goods

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