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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: rest · craft · bulb · bark · suit · pitcher · deal · kid

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. kid — child
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bark — to shout
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kid — to tease
  19. craft — boats
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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