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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. season — of the year
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — in music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. scale — size or range
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chair — a leader
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. trunk — of a car

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