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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bark — to shout
  3. craft — boats
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bank — of a river
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rule — a law
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — government
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lean — thin
  24. bank — for money

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