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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — a safe
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rock — a stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rock — music
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bass — the instrument

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