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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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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: branch · wake · bark · bowl · bulb · arm · kick · rule

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. branch — a division
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bark — to shout
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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