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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fall — the season
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — thin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stock — shares
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rule — a law
  24. pitch — completely

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