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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: game · rock · object · bulb · can · spell · firm · bank

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — magic
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rock — music
  7. object — an aim
  8. game — a match
  9. object — a thing
  10. firm — decided
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — letters
  13. bank — for money
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — to protest
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bank — of a river
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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