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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
468
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: firm · object · lie · stock · file · mouse · bank · chip

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. object — to protest
  3. firm — steady
  4. object — an aim
  5. firm — a company
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — decided
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. file — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a line of people
  17. stock — shares
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stock — goods
  20. object — a thing
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. file — a document
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mouse — the animal

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