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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bank — for money
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a great time
  13. saw — the tool
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — a cup
  20. land — ground
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. ball — a dance

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