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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 120 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: stand · pit · bulb · file · bark · foot · ball · can

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a dance
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. file — a tool
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. file — a document
  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