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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fine — all right
  4. field — for sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. field — farmland
  12. stock — goods
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bank — for money
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. field — a subject
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stock — shares

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