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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: bulb · pop · pit · bank · bear · perch · toast · file

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bulb — for light
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. file — a tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. toast — bread
  14. file — a document
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. file — a line of people
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pop — soda

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