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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bore — to tire
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. staff — a stick
  12. net — for catching
  13. bound — certain
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bore — gave birth

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