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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 120 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 · wave · sharp · lean · row · bulb · dip · bark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lean — thin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bark — to shout
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. row — a line

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