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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bank — for money
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — a tin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rock — music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wake — a trail
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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