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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 116 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: bulb · rule · rash · staff · bark · tear · mark · object

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. object — to protest
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — government
  11. staff — a stick
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — an aim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. object — a thing
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rule — a law
  24. tear — from crying

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