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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — for money
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — goods
  8. track — to keep track
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. track — a song
  15. bound — certain
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fork — in a road

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