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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: hide · foot · bark · season · pop · safe · squash · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. season — in sport
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — to shout
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — the sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. club — for golf
  17. foot — a measure
  18. club — a group
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pop — soda
  24. season — to add flavour

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