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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. net — after costs
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — a permit
  9. net — for catching
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. net — in sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. bank — for money
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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