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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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 — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pitch — completely
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — boats
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. craft — a skill
  18. spring — the season
  19. bark — to shout
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mate — a partner
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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