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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stock — goods
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — a company
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wind — moving air
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. firm — decided
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — a skill
  14. firm — steady
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bank — for money
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wind — moving air
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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