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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. club — for golf
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fine — all right
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — a group
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — of a river
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bank — for money
  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