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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. track — a song
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bark — to shout
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. track — a path
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. content — happy
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. content — the amount
  16. band — a music group
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. band — a ring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stand — on your feet

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