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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: suit · cold · nail · safe · swing · bark · saw · jam

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cold — an illness
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — in cards
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. swing — in golf
  24. safe — a strongbox

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