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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cue — for pool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. last — finally
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stock — goods
  9. charge — a price
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bank — of a river
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — a song
  14. bank — for money
  15. cue — a hint
  16. date — the fruit
  17. track — a path
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cue — a signal
  20. track — to keep track
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. last — final
  23. charge — in control
  24. last — to go on

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