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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stock — shares
  9. rush — hurry
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — all right
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. bass — low music
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — to hurry

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