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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — army training
  4. bank — for money
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stock — shares
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stock — goods
  10. foot — a measure
  11. drill — the tool
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wind — moving air
  16. land — ground
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — of a river
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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