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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 116 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: face · safe · can · bark · kid · ball · cue · stick

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. can — to be able to
  14. kid — child
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — part of the head
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. face — to confront
  20. kid — to tease
  21. can — a tin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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