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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bank — of a river
  5. charge — in control
  6. pop — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stock — shares
  16. stand — to bear
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mark — a grade
  19. clip — for paper
  20. pop — soda
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. clip — a video
  24. pop — to visit

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