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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. key — in music
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stock — goods
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — shares
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fork — in a road
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bat — in an idiom

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