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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. fall — the season
  6. land — ground
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. land — a country
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — to shout
  17. kick — in football
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. land — to come down
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ground — a position
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rest — a break

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