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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 120 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: bowl · dip · staff · race · fan · safe · bark · pound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bark — to shout
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — a stick
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pound — for dogs

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