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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fall — the season
  5. bank — for money
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — a grade
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a trace
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — of a river

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