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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · capital · bound · dip · safe · kick · bark · charge

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — tied together
  6. file — a tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bound — certain
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. file — a document
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. charge — electricity
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — obliged
  22. dip — to sink
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bark — to shout

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