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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 · object · stick · chest · safe · charge · row · bark

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hand — help
  4. object — a thing
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — an aim
  9. hand — in cards
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — a box
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — to protest
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bark — to shout
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. row — a line
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. chest — of your body

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