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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: foot · fan · ball · bulb · bark · bass · present · face

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — the time now
  4. face — to confront
  5. present — there
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. present — a gift
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a great time
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. face — to point toward

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