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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fine — all right
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — to keep track
  11. snap — to click
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. board — to get on
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — a committee
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. track — a song
  24. craft — boats

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