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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stock — goods
  4. chest — a box
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. stock — shares
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — in a road

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