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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · club · bank · tube · mark · stock · lie · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. club — for golf
  4. deal — to handle
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — for money
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — the underground
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mark — a grade
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. club — a group
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — shares
  24. tube — in a tire

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