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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bank — for money
  3. race — a contest
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. band — a music group
  8. content — the amount
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. content — happy
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. band — a ring
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bank — for money
  23. race — humankind
  24. band — a rubber band

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