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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: march · bark · firm · ruler · net · bulb · field · lash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. net — in sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. net — after costs
  7. march — the month
  8. field — a subject
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — the month
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. march — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — a company
  16. net — for catching
  17. field — for sport
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. field — farmland
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  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