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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 120 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: nail · bark · content · board · wake · firm · safe · mug

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a face
  4. content — happy
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — decided
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — steady
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mug — a cup
  16. firm — a company
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. board — a committee
  19. content — the amount
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mug — to rob
  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