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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — a short time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. present — there
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. present — the time now
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. present — a gift
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spell — magic
  15. bass — low music
  16. spell — letters
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bulb — of a plant

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