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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — a country
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. degree — an amount
  17. land — ground
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mark — to pay attention

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