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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: bank · mine · swing · craft · nail · pound · bulb · ball

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mine — for digging
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pound — a weight
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — a skill
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — of a river
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bulb — for light

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