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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: rash · date · bark · drill · calf · bore · snap · safe

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rash — hasty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bark — to shout
  10. snap — to click
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bore — to drill
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — army training
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — a series
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. safe — a strongbox

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