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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bank — for money
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wake — a trail
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stock — goods
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — shares
  20. stand — to bear
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stock — a soup base

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