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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: date · present · rock · bark · firm · march · safe · key

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — there
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. key — in music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. key — the most important part
  16. march — the month
  17. firm — a company
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. firm — decided
  20. rock — a stone
  21. present — a gift
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bark — to shout
  24. present — the time now

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