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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. toast — bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. swing — in golf
  7. land — a country
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a skill
  10. land — to come down
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — boats
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. land — ground
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. swing — to play on
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. swing — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bark — of a tree

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