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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: dip · bark · chest · safe · firm · kick · nail · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. firm — decided
  5. chest — of your body
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. chest — a box
  10. kick — in football
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — a company
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bark — to shout
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — on a finger

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