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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: cabinet · mouse · safe · deal · lean · last · bark · squash

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. last — final
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lean — to bend
  15. last — finally
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lean — thin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bark — to shout
  24. last — to go on

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