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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: bass · root · clip · bark · file · safe · wake · bound

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bound — tied together
  5. file — a tool
  6. bound — certain
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bass — low music
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bass — the fish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. clip — to cut
  16. file — a document
  17. root — the cause
  18. wake — a trail
  19. clip — a video
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — of a word

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