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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: rush · bark · lean · bank · bulb · straw · bass · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. lean — thin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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