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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — to come down
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rash — a series
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. land — a country
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. land — ground
  23. shower — rain
  24. ruler — a monarch

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