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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: firm · fan · pitcher · leaves · rock · bulb · bank · bowl

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. firm — steady
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — for light
  9. firm — decided
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rock — a stone

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