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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bark — to shout
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lean — thin
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cue — a hint
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. bank — for money
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lean — to bend
  23. capital — a city
  24. plane — a tool

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