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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 120 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: bank · stock · temple · swing · pop · staff · pit · cap

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — to visit
  3. staff — employees
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pop — music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stock — shares
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pop — soda
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. swing — music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stock — goods

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