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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: lash · land · craft · bulb · bark · bowl · nail · leaves

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — a country
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. craft — boats
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. land — to come down
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bark — to shout
  24. land — ground

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