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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. firm — a company
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — a tin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. field — for sport
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. field — a subject
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a line of people
  23. vault — a safe
  24. field — farmland

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