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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 124 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: vault · bulb · leaves · bark · field · rule · wave · tube

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. field — farmland
  5. rule — government
  6. tube — a container
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. field — for sport
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rule — a law
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bark — to shout
  14. field — a subject
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  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