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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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bank — for money
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — goods
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — a soup base
  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