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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: bulb · pound · wake · safe · branch · hide · race · plane

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pound — a weight
  17. race — a contest
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — a tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — an aircraft

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