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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: cabinet · content · firm · snap · charge · bark · saw · temple

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — the tool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. firm — steady
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — a price
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — decided
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. temple — a place of worship

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