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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the sport
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cue — for pool
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. toast — bread
  16. cell — a phone
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bank — of a river

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