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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: net · mouse · mark · bank · stock · vault · fine · spell

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. spell — letters
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spell — magic
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. bank — for money
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — a grade
  20. net — after costs
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. net — for catching
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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