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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 116 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: ball · bank · bark · wound · scale · sharp · staff · bulb

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. scale — in music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — size or range

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