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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · stick · dip · bulb · suit · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. club — for dancing
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to sink
  18. suit — to fit

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