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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · chip · stand · arm · bulb · squash · drill · object

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. chip — for betting
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. drill — the tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. object — to protest
  20. bark — to shout
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. drill — army training
  24. bark — of a tree

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