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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: face · bulb · roll · firm · fan · bear · key · bank

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — to confront
  7. roll — a cake
  8. firm — decided
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bank — for money
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — steady
  19. key — in music
  20. face — part of the head
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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