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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. track — a song
  4. plane — a tool
  5. tube — a container
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. firm — a company
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. club — for golf
  12. track — a path
  13. club — a group
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. club — for dancing
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. firm — steady
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — to shout

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