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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 116 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
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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: chair · fan · safe · lie · file · bark · mug · bound

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lie — to recline
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — a face
  11. bark — to shout
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. file — a document
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chair — a leader
  20. file — a line of people
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mug — a cup
  23. file — a tool
  24. chair — to sit 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