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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. wake — a trail
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pop — soda
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spring — a coil
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pop — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — boats
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. spring — the season
  20. tube — a container
  21. spring — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wake — before a funeral

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