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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: present · foot · bark · bat · rule · safe · leaves · jam

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. present — the time now
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rule — government
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bat — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rule — a law
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. present — there
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bat — for baseball

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