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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — of a river
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. present — there
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — goods
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — happy
  17. present — the time now
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — shares
  22. lean — thin
  23. present — a gift
  24. content — videos and posts

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