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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: bulb · mark · lash · pound · branch · file · firm · foot

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. pound — a weight
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. file — a tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — decided
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. branch — a division
  18. file — a document
  19. mark — a grade
  20. firm — steady
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. foot — a measure

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