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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: present · mark · cabinet · safe · land · chip · stick · bark

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bark — to shout
  8. land — to come down
  9. chip — for betting
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — a gift
  16. land — ground
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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