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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bank — for money
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ground — a position
  11. spring — of water
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stock — shares
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stock — goods
  17. cap — a hat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spring — a coil
  20. cap — of ice
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. spring — the season
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — part of the body

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