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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 120 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: wound · bulb · rash · bank · bark · land · squash · mate

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rash — a series
  6. bank — for money
  7. land — a country
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. land — to come down
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mate — a partner
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bank — of a river
  18. land — ground
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — for money
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rash — on the skin

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