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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: present · firm · rush · bank · chair · spell · ground · bulb

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — a short time
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ground — crushed
  6. present — the time now
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — a company
  15. present — a gift
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. present — there
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — a position
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — steady
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — the earth

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