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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — of water
  4. club — for golf
  5. bank — of a river
  6. can — to be able to
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bank — for money
  10. can — a tin
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fine — all right
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. club — a group
  16. spring — the season
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. club — for dancing
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. spring — a coil
  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