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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: cabinet · date · deal · mouse · branch · bank · bulb · season

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bank — for money
  5. branch — a division
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. date — the fruit
  10. season — of the year
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. date — on the calendar

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