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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rash — a series
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rest — a break
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rock — music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ground — a position
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stock — goods
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — for money

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