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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · ball · firm · key · bark · safe · present · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. firm — decided
  9. charge — in control
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — the most important part
  19. present — a gift
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bark — to shout
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. present — the time now
  24. firm — a company

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