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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ground — crushed
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to drill

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