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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stock — goods
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pop — soda
  9. land — a country
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pop — music
  14. land — to come down
  15. pop — to visit
  16. land — ground
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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