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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: dip · arm · saw · bark · kick · chest · safe · rule

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. chest — a box
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — the tool
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bark — to shout
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. saw — the tool

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