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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 120 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — crushed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ground — a position
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ground — the earth
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. band — a music group
  24. wound — an injury

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