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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: safe · board · bark · stand · spell · content · bear · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — letters
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. content — the amount
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. content — happy
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. board — a committee
  23. spell — magic
  24. stand — to bear

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