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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: chair · bark · stick · saw · leaves · bear · bowl · bulb

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — to shout
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bear — to put up with

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