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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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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: trunk · bark · bulb · board · cap · ball · season · bay

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bark — to shout
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — in sport
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — of the year
  23. board — a committee
  24. ball — a round shape

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