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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. snap — to click
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — for light
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bank — for money

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