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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fall — the season
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rock — music
  10. pop — music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stock — shares
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. stock — goods
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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