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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: bulb · bark · temple · ground · lean · calf · stand · bowl

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ground — a position
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lean — thin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bark — to shout

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