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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 · jam · fine · bank · branch · mug · mine · wake

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. mine — for digging
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bank — of a river
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mug — to rob
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fine — all right
  12. branch — a division
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mug — a face
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — before a funeral

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