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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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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: safe · bark · cell · bear · nail · can · bound · spring

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bound — certain
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cell — a phone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bark — to shout
  17. spring — of water
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spring — the season
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bound — obliged

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