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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 116 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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