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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.

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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: present · lie · content · race · bark · mark · safe · wake

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a trace
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — to recline
  15. content — happy
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. race — the arms race
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. present — there
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wake — a trail
  24. race — humankind

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