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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — to shout
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. kick — in football
  24. bat — the animal

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