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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — in music
  15. hand — in cards
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. degree — temperature
  18. toast — bread
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hand — help
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. degree — from a university
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. degree — an amount

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