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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stock — shares
  3. cap — of ice
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stock — goods
  10. foot — a measure
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — help
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cap — a lid
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. cap — a hat
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bank — for money

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