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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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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: bank · bulb · clip · object · foot · mine · rule · lie

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. object — a thing
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — a law
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — an aim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. object — to protest
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — of a river
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — government

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