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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: chair · sharp · bulb · wave · cue · nail · mate · track

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. track — a song
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mate — to breed
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. chair — a leader
  20. sharp — clever
  21. track — a path
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cue — a signal

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