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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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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: ruler · saw · bark · net · sharp · cabinet · pass · bulb

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. net — after costs
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bark — to shout
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — in sport
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — for catching
  23. bark — of a tree
  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