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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: row · lie · board · last · bark · tube · ground · bulb

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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 — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ground — a position
  6. board — a committee
  7. row — a line
  8. ground — crushed
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. last — to go on
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. tube — the underground
  13. row — to paddle
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — to recline
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. tube — in a tire
  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