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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — ground
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ground — a position
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. land — to come down
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. land — a country
  22. ground — the earth
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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