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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stock — goods
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. track — a song
  6. key — in music
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. foot — a measure
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — for a lock
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. object — to protest
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — an aim
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — a thing
  23. track — a path
  24. stock — shares

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