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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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468
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: object · calf · plane · can · racket · track · bulb · bark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — to be able to
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. can — a tin
  16. object — a thing
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — to protest
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bark — to shout
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — of the leg

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