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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spring — the season
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — a weight
  18. spring — of water
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ruler — a monarch

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