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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: racket · bark · saw · fork · court · cabinet · safe · pop

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bark — to shout
  3. court — for sport
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pop — soda
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. fork — in a road
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pop — music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pop — to visit

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