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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. craft — boats
  3. bank — for money
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. net — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pop — music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stock — shares
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — goods
  24. key — in music

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