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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. kick — in football
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — an aim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stock — goods
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mine — for digging
  19. object — to protest
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bank — of a river
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — to fit

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