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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 · cabinet · racket · track · bark · board · rush · ruler

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — a song
  16. bark — to shout
  17. board — a committee
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. track — a path
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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