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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · wake · bark · rest · nail · safe · rush · bore

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rest — a break
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — out of danger

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