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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stock — shares
  4. roll — a list
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stock — goods
  7. bank — for money
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. drill — a practice
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. row — a line
  17. roll — a cake
  18. chair — a leader
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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