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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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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: kid · mug · face · safe · cell · firm · nail · bark

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. kid — child
  15. face — to confront
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kid — to tease
  18. face — to point toward
  19. firm — a company
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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