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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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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: rush · nail · bark · jam · deal · staff · safe · rule

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — government
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rule — a law
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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