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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — goods
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. arm — a part of something

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