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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. spring — the season
  7. rash — a series
  8. can — a tin
  9. spring — of water
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a song
  21. mug — a face
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — a path

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