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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 116 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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — shares
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — a permit
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — to succeed

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