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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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Word bank
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. march — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. march — the month
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. present — there
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — employees
  13. cell — a phone
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. march — the month
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. staff — employees
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  24. safe — out of danger

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