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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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. chest — of your body
  3. charge — a price
  4. mug — a face
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mug — to rob
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chest — a box
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  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