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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 116 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. capital — money
  2. bank — for money
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stock — shares
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lean — thin
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mug — a cup
  16. capital — a city
  17. mug — a face
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — for catching
  23. stock — a soup base
  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