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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bank — for money
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bank — of a river
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — high quality
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a trace

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