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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. file — a document
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stock — goods
  7. file — a tool
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mate — a friend
  19. object — a thing
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stock — shares
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. stock — a soup base

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