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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stock — shares
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mark — a trace
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stock — goods
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. content — the amount
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mark — a grade
  24. content — happy

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