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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: mark · mug · row · court · bark · land · bulb · can

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mark — a trace
  4. can — a tin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a cup
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. land — a country
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — of law
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — ground
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bulb — for light
  18. court — of a king
  19. row — a line
  20. mug — a face
  21. mark — a grade
  22. land — to come down
  23. court — for sport
  24. bark — to shout

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