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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: bark · face · object · wound · trunk · mouse · hide · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. object — an aim
  3. wound — an injury
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. object — to protest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. face — to confront
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — a thing
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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