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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.

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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cap — a lid
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cap — of ice
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. content — happy
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer

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