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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: deal · field · bark · kick · bulb · bowl · mark · safe

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. field — for sport
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. deal — to handle
  7. field — farmland
  8. mark — a grade
  9. field — a subject
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a trace
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kick — in football
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. deal — an agreement

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