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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — clever
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bark — to shout
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chest — a box
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — with your hand

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