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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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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: suit · safe · craft · trunk · stock · content · leaves · bark

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. suit — in cards
  3. content — happy
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. content — the amount
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stock — goods
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bark — to shout
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. craft — a skill
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. stock — shares
  24. trunk — of a car

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