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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: lash · bark · prune · bulb · stand · field · can · pass

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. field — for sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stand — to bear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bark — to shout
  12. field — farmland
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. field — a subject
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stand — for spectators

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