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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. fine — all right
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cue — for pool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bark — to shout
  24. band — a rubber band

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