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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.

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: rush · pop · leaves · bulb · key · bark · stand · trunk

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — soda
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. key — for a lock

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