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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · bank · key · sharp · lean · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. key — in music
  4. bank — of a river
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lean — thin
  11. key — for a lock
  12. roll — a list
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lean — to bend
  16. stock — goods
  17. roll — a cake
  18. sharp — clever

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