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

Word bank: bank · bulb · arm · track · cell · club · content · rock

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — the amount
  4. rock — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. content — happy
  7. club — a group
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — of a river
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. track — a song
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. club — for golf
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — a stone

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