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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — ground
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rock — music
  8. lean — thin
  9. land — to come down
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. land — a country
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fine — all right
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rock — a stone
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fine — high quality

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