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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. fine — all right
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. craft — boats
  15. prune — to trim
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bank — of a river
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stock — a soup base

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