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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: bank · present · bay · can · fan · scale · deal · stock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stock — goods
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stock — shares
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. present — there
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bank — for money
  16. scale — in music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fan — a supporter

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