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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. club — for golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rash — hasty
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. club — a group
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rock — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rash — a series
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. club — for dancing
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bank — for money
  22. rash — on the skin
  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