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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: temple · object · present · rash · spring · ground · bark · foot

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. spring — the season
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. object — an aim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rash — a series
  11. spring — of water
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. spring — a coil
  17. present — a gift
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. ground — crushed
  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