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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · safe · leaves · file · bear · bark · net · hide

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. file — a line of people
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. file — a document
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. net — in sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. net — for catching
  18. bark — to shout
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. file — a tool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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