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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. firm — a company
  2. band — a music group
  3. prune — to trim
  4. craft — boats
  5. bank — of a river
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. prune — to trim
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — decided
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. firm — steady
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to click
  22. band — a ring
  23. stock — a soup base
  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