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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.

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: cell · bound · fine · ground · racket · bark · bulb · wave

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cell — a phone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — a position
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fine — all right
  14. bark — to shout
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bound — certain
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bound — obliged
  24. wave — with your hand

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