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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. file — a tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a document
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bank — for money
  24. racket — a loud noise

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