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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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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: tear · safe · branch · bay · band · bulb · rock · cue

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. band — a music group
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. band — a ring
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. tear — to rip
  22. branch — a division
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. tear — from crying

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