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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: club · bark · bulb · arm · can · race · leaves · calf

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. club — a group
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. race — the arms race
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for golf
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. arm — part of the body

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