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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: bulb · mug · band · wake · safe · coach · nail · tear

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — a trainer

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