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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bark — to shout
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fork — in a road
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. tube — the underground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. tube — a container
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. arm — part of the body

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