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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: pitcher · mate · bark · plane · object · leaves · ball · bulb

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bark — to shout
  12. object — a thing
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mate — a partner
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. object — to protest
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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