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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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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: dip · bulb · firm · bark · squash · wound · ball · present

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. firm — decided
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. present — a gift
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. present — the time now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a great time
  16. present — there
  17. firm — steady
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — a company

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