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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.

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: lash · pop · band · bark · bulb · scale · stick · arm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. band — a ring
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — music
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — in music
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pop — soda
  18. band — a music group
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bulb — of a plant

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