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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. firm — decided
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. firm — a company
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. tear — from crying
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bank — of a river
  13. kid — child
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — for money
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fine — all right
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. firm — steady
  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