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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — shares
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rush — hurry
  19. shower — rain
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. shower — to wash
  23. track — a song
  24. stock — goods

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