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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · kick · stock · suit · fine · drill · game · bark

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — army training
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. suit — to fit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. game — wild animals
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stock — shares
  15. fine — all right
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. drill — a practice
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stock — goods
  22. fine — high quality
  23. kick — in football
  24. fine — a penalty

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