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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: safe · bark · date · snap · track · temple · staff · chest

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chest — a box
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. snap — to click
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. chest — of your body
  9. track — a song
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. staff — employees
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bark — to shout
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. date — the fruit
  19. track — a path
  20. chest — of your body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. track — to keep track
  24. staff — a stick

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