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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bank — for money
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mine — for digging
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. track — a song
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. track — a path
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bank — for money
  24. tear — from crying

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