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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: bark · pit · dip · bulb · bowl · mouse · march · stand

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bowl — a football final

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