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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 120 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: mouse · can · row · bulb · bank · spring · rush · face

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spring — of water
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. bulb — for light
  13. can — a tin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — the season
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spring — a coil
  23. can — a tin
  24. bulb — of a plant

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