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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wind — moving air
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fork — in a road
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — shares
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wind — moving air

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