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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · file · stock · bank · kid · wave · rock · can

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rock — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — shares
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — a tin
  12. kid — child
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rock — a stone
  15. file — a document
  16. kid — to tease
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. file — a tool
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bank — for money

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