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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bank — for money
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hand — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. hand — help
  12. season — in sport
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bank — of a river
  19. content — happy
  20. vault — a safe
  21. content — the amount
  22. season — of the year
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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