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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bound — certain
  4. hand — in cards
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hand — help
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rule — government
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bound — tied together
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — a law
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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