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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · date · toast · bark · mate · safe · ball · firm

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — a company
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — steady
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a partner
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. toast — bread
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. firm — decided
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. date — the fruit
  24. safe — out of danger

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