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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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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: field · bark · kick · bulb · craft · racket · stand · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bark — to shout
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. field — farmland
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kick — in football
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. craft — boats
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stand — to bear
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bulb — for light
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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