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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.

Words on the sheet
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: chest · fan · suit · object · date · ruler · bulb · bark

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. chest — of your body
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. object — to protest
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chest — a box

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