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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 124 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. present — a gift
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — a cup
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. present — there
  14. mug — to rob
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. branch — a division
  19. mug — a face
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. present — the time now

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