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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · safe · perch · sharp · root · coach · game · wave

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. game — a match
  4. root — the cause
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — clever
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a word
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. perch — the fish
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. root — of a plant

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