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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bulb — for light
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — a video
  5. bank — for money
  6. bass — low music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. clip — to cut
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cap — a hat
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bank — for money
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. clip — for paper

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