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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: lean · fall · fine · present · bulb · wake · bark · tube

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. present — the time now
  3. fine — all right
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. present — a gift
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fall — the season
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — for light
  15. present — there
  16. lean — thin
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wake — a trail
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fall — to drop

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