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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — to shout
  5. field — for sport
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. lean — to bend
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. can — a tin
  15. field — a subject
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. field — farmland
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lean — thin
  24. vault — a safe

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