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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stock — shares
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bank — for money
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — a practice
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — to handle
  21. drill — the tool
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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