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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stock — goods
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — the season
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fine — all right
  10. spring — of water
  11. mug — a face
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. land — a country
  15. mug — a cup
  16. land — to come down
  17. stock — shares
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. land — ground
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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