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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: prune · pitcher · fan · bank · cap · rush · bulb · content

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. content — the amount
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. content — happy

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