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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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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bulb — for light
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. field — a subject
  5. present — the time now
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rule — government
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. present — there
  22. bound — certain
  23. present — a gift
  24. stand — for spectators

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