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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: rush · bulb · spell · bound · mug · can · tube · branch

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — letters
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mug — a face
  14. branch — a division
  15. bound — certain
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bound — tied together
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spell — magic

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