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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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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. foot — a measure
  11. band — a ring
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stem — to come from
  16. staff — employees
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wound — an injury
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. bark — to shout

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