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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mug — a face
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bark — to shout
  7. staff — employees
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. capital — money
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mug — a cup
  14. staff — a stick
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. capital — a city
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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