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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — ground
  13. rock — music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stock — goods
  17. land — to come down
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bank — for money
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — for pool

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