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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.

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 · safe · bark · saw · tube · wake · rock · stick

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — music
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bark — to shout

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