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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stock — goods
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — shares
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stock — a soup base

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