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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — a safe
  4. court — of law
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bank — for money
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. court — for sport
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. court — of a king
  18. stock — shares
  19. chip — to eat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — for betting
  23. wind — moving air
  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