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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. tube — a container
  6. bark — to shout
  7. craft — boats
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pass — a permit
  17. kid — child
  18. craft — a skill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. kid — to tease
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. sharp — clever

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