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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: bulb · rock · cue · wave · date · bark

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rock — music
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bark — to shout
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light

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