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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 116 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: bulb · wave · fan · key · leaves · bore · spring · bank

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — the season
  6. bank — for money
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bore — to tire
  9. key — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. spring — of water
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — gave birth

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