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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a ring
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a music group
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — a series
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rash — hasty
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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