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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. bank — for money
  2. fine — all right
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stock — shares
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bore — to tire
  8. game — a match
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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