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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: clip · suit · bulb · bark · race · present · perch · pit

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — for paper
  4. present — a gift
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. race — humankind
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. clip — a video
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. clip — to cut
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bark — to shout
  20. perch — the fish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. present — there
  23. race — a contest
  24. pit — a hole

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