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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. current — happening now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — the time now
  10. hand — help
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. season — in sport
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. current — electric
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. present — a gift
  18. current — of water
  19. present — there
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. season — of the year
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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