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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. club — for golf
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stock — shares
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stock — goods
  12. file — a document
  13. present — the time now
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a tool
  16. content — the amount
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a line of people
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bank — of a river
  24. content — happy

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