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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 120 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: tube · bark · rash · bank · suit · scale · field · bulb

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rash — a series
  3. scale — size or range
  4. suit — clothes
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bank — for money
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. field — for sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bank — of a river
  13. scale — in music
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. field — a subject
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rash — hasty
  19. field — farmland
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bark — to shout
  22. tube — a container
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bank — for money

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