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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bass — the fish
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. field — for sport
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bank — for money
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. staff — employees
  19. field — a subject
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — a song
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. staff — a stick

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