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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: march · bulb · mouse · drill · mug · bark · present · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — a face
  13. present — a gift
  14. march — the month
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. march — music

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