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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bank — for money
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. row — a line
  16. date — the fruit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bass — low music
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. row — to paddle
  24. stem — to come from

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