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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: jam · craft · spell · date · bark · suit · ground · bulb

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bark — to shout
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ground — crushed
  12. date — the fruit
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. craft — a skill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — boats
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. suit — to fit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. spell — magic
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a handicraft

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