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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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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: snap · bank · track · bulb · bound · bear · fan · jam

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bound — certain
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bound — obliged
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bank — for money
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bound — tied together
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bear — the animal
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — for money
  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