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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: cap · stock · key · cell · ground · calf · bark · safe

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — the earth
  4. stock — shares
  5. key — in music
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — goods
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ground — crushed
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cell — a phone
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ground — a position
  18. cap — a lid
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cell — in a prison

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