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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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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: court · mouse · bulb · bat · ruler · bay · bark · cell

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. court — of law
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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