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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: bulb · club · bark · leaves · rest · present · nail · date

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. club — a group
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — there
  10. club — for golf
  11. date — the fruit
  12. present — a gift
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bulb — for light
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — for dancing
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — the time now
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rest — what's left

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