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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 116 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: bass · chip · rash · lean · last · bulb · bark · object

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. object — an aim
  5. last — final
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bass — the fish
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. object — a thing
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — to protest
  22. chip — to eat
  23. last — to go on
  24. bulb — for light

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