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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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Word bank
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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: last · degree · mug · toast · bank · lie · stock · rock

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. degree — from a university
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. last — finally
  6. degree — an amount
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — shares
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. toast — bread
  15. degree — temperature
  16. last — final
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. last — to go on
  20. stock — goods
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mug — a face
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — music

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