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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stock — goods
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — a path
  10. rash — a series
  11. firm — a company
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — a container
  15. rash — hasty
  16. track — a song
  17. rule — government
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rule — a law
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. firm — decided
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rule — to rule out

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