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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — for money
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. branch — a division
  8. kick — in football
  9. spell — letters
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — a short time

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