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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: chip · wound · ruler · bark · pound · bulb · bass · cap

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bass — low music
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pound — for dogs

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