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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bank — for money
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — a cup
  13. staff — employees
  14. wax — to grow
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — for money
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mug — a face
  22. track — a path
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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