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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: bark · stand · bass · safe · suit · cap · kick · wake

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — clothes
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bass — low music
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wake — a trail
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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