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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: can · lie · bark · bulb · prune · march · perch · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. prune — to trim
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. perch — the fish
  21. march — the month
  22. can — to be able to
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — a tin

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