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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: track · bulb · club · fan · fall · ruler · bay · bark

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fall — the season
  6. club — for dancing
  7. track — a path
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bark — to shout
  11. track — a song
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — a group
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. club — for golf

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