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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.

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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: dip · mouse · rash · bulb · season · bark · rush · patient

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — a series
  7. season — in sport
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. dip — to sink
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. season — of the year
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. patient — a sick person

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