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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 116 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: sharp · mine · ruler · calf · tube · bulb · wake · hand

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. hand — in cards
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — help
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. tube — a container

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