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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: hand · lie · bark · stem · cabinet · safe · nail · roll

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. roll — a list
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lie — to recline
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. roll — a cake
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. hand — help

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