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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: bulb · trunk · bark · mark · date · roll · firm · shower

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mark — a grade
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. firm — a company
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. date — the fruit
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mark — a trace
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. firm — steady

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