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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: staff · safe · bank · fall · shower · chest · roll · bark

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chest — a box
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chest — of your body
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — to drop
  10. shower — rain
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fall — the season
  13. bark — to shout
  14. shower — to wash
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a cake
  18. staff — a stick
  19. roll — a list
  20. bank — of a river
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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