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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. club — for golf
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wind — moving air
  7. club — for dancing
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — a series
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. club — a group
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rule — a law
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bark — to shout

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