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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 116 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: present · dip · stock · bulb · bank · staff · prune · spell

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spell — a short time
  6. present — there
  7. spell — magic
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. spell — letters
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — to sink

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