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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 · spell · firm · bark · can · lie · chest · foot

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — steady
  7. lie — to recline
  8. firm — a company
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — for light
  12. can — to be able to
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — a box
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. spell — a short time

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