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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
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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: jam · rock · bulb · wake · date · patient · bark · wave

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — a stone
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. date — the fruit
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bark — to shout
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wave — with your hand

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