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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stock — shares
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — for betting
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mark — a trace
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bank — for money

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