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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 120 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: fall · season · bulb · ball · rush · bark · bay · march

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fall — to drop
  9. march — the month
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. season — of the year
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ball — a dance
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a great time

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