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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 112 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — a container
  12. face — to confront
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. face — part of the head
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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