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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: trunk · safe · mark · sharp · perch · nail · clip · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — for paper
  4. mark — a trace
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. clip — to cut
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — a grade
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. sharp — clever
  18. clip — a video
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. sharp — with an edge

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