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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: mug · safe · stem · suit · pop · chest · land · bark

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pop — music
  5. land — a country
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — to shout
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mug — a face
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — a box
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mug — a cup
  19. land — ground
  20. pop — soda
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pop — to visit
  24. land — to come down

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