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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. content — the amount
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — a division
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tube — a container
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. content — happy

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