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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stock — goods
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — a committee
  7. file — a document
  8. bank — of a river
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. current — happening now
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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