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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: sharp · bark · bulb · safe · wind · cue · hide · object

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cue — for pool
  3. object — to protest
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wind — moving air
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — an aim
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — a thing

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