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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: bat · bark · craft · bulb · bank · mug · pound · foot

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — a face
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. mug — a cup
  13. craft — boats
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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