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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: present · trunk · bulb · court · ruler · stem · bark · club

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. club — for golf
  4. bark — to shout
  5. club — a group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. court — for sport
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. court — of law
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. court — of a king
  21. present — the time now
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. club — for dancing

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