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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mug — to rob
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mate — a partner
  7. root — the cause
  8. mug — a cup
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mug — a face
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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