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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bulb — for light
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. bulb — for light
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. branch — a division
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — to come down
  24. arm — a part of something

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