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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.

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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: patient · suit · bay · spring · bulb · bark · bass · trunk

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — low music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spring — of water
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spring — the season
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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