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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. track — a path
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bear — the animal
  6. track — a song
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bark — to shout
  9. track — to keep track
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lie — to recline
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. scale — in music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. lie — an untruth

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