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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 116 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: suit · stick · cold · stock · bank · file · mark · leaves

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. file — a document
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — shares
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mark — a trace
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cold — an illness
  19. bank — of a river
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stock — goods
  23. file — a tool
  24. cold — not warm

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