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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.

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: safe · tube · bark · perch · hide · wake · bat · bulb

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bark — to shout
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bulb — 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