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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · pitcher · bay · wave · bark · can · safe · bear

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bark — to shout
  20. can — a tin
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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