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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.

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: safe · cue · pitch · sharp · face · wake · lash · bark

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pitch — completely
  10. face — part of the head
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — to shout
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. face — to point toward
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cue — a signal
  24. face — to confront

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