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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — there
  4. face — part of the head
  5. present — the time now
  6. land — to come down
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — ground
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. face — to confront
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. land — a country
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. key — for a lock
  17. face — to point toward
  18. hand — help
  19. key — the most important part
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bark — to shout
  22. present — a gift
  23. hand — in cards
  24. safe — a strongbox

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