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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. march — the month
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — the month
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tube — a container
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. hand — help
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. march — music

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