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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — steady
  5. file — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a document
  9. firm — a company
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. file — a line of people
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — decided
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. temple — side of the head

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