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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — army training
  5. scale — in music
  6. rule — government
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — a law
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. drill — a practice
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stem — to come from
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. scale — size or range
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bark — to shout

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