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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · shower · degree · saw · file · wave · firm · bank

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — from a university
  5. file — a line of people
  6. degree — an amount
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. firm — a company
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. file — a document
  17. shower — rain
  18. firm — steady
  19. saw — the tool
  20. firm — decided
  21. degree — temperature
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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