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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — employees
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mug — a face
  10. staff — employees
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a document
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mug — to rob
  15. file — a tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mug — a cup
  19. snap — to click
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bore — gave birth

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