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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — happening now
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bank — for money
  7. current — of water
  8. stock — shares
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — goods
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. club — a group
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — for golf
  16. rock — music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bank — for money
  20. current — electric
  21. bank — of a river
  22. cue — a hint
  23. club — for dancing
  24. snap — to click

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