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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. march — music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mug — a cup
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. march — the month
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a face
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. board — a committee
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bank — of a river
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  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