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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.

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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: wake · cap · bulb · lash · board · sharp · safe · pound

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cap — a hat
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. board — a committee
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wake — a trail
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — before a funeral

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