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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · bulb · bark · jam · chair · mine · toast · march

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. march — music
  8. object — an aim
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. chair — a leader
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. object — to protest
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. march — the month
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — bread
  22. object — a thing
  23. march — the month
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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