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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 116 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: rush · sharp · hide · nail · suit · bulb · bark · stem

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bark — to shout
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rush — hurry
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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