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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. suit — to fit
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — in cards
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. suit — clothes

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