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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. net — in sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — to handle
  15. club — a group
  16. net — after costs
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. net — for catching
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — for golf

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