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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: lean · bulb · bank · fine · charge · trunk · sharp · wake

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lean — thin
  7. wake — a trail
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bank — for money
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — all right
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — electricity
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. charge — in control
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — clever
  22. charge — a price
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lean — to bend

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