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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
468
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 · cue · fork · game · bore · cabinet · bound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bark — to shout
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cue — a signal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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