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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 120 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: hide · rock · kick · snap · chip · bark · board · safe

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to click
  18. board — to get on
  19. kick — in football
  20. bark — to shout
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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