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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: ball · pop · safe · pound · cabinet · bark · bear · fine

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fine — all right
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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