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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: rest · toast · foot · bank · wake · mine · bass · bulb

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — of a river
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bass — low music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rest — a break

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