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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — shares
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bound — tied together
  5. charge — in control
  6. swing — in golf
  7. foot — a measure
  8. craft — boats
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. swing — to play on
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — the tool
  21. swing — music
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stock — goods
  24. charge — electricity

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