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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — in sport
  4. bank — of a river
  5. net — after costs
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wound — an injury
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. net — for catching
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. can — a tin

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