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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chair · bank · calf · band · pound · rush · bulb · leaves

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a music group
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. band — a ring
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. leaves — of a tree

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