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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — letters
  13. rock — music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. spell — a short time
  20. date — the fruit
  21. spell — magic
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — to fit

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