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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 120 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: mug · wake · mine · bank · stock · lean · bulb · season

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — of the year
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. stock — shares
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bank — for money
  13. season — in sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. bank — of a river
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lean — thin

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