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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — the season
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. spring — of water
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — a stone

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