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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mate — a partner
  5. charge — in control
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — to breed
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — a short time
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a friend
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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