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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — there
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — of a river
  11. tube — the underground
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. fine — all right
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. present — a gift
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stock — shares
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tube — a container

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