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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: capital · bulb · bark · rule · content · bay · safe · racket

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bulb — for light
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rule — a law
  24. safe — a strongbox

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