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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bound — certain
  6. row — a line
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — obliged
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. calf — of the leg

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