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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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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: kick · racket · bay · key · cap · bulb · bark · pound

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — to shout
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — a weight
  11. kick — in football
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cap — a lid
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. racket — for tennis

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