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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bank — for money
  4. bulb — for light
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bulb — for light
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — boats
  14. bank — for money
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. season — in sport

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