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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mark — a grade
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rest — a break
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stock — shares
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — to get on
  23. dip — to sink
  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