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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. present — the time now
  5. bark — to shout
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. field — a subject
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. suit — clothes
  14. present — a gift
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — in cards
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cold — not warm
  23. present — there
  24. bulb — for light

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