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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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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: date · bark · branch · fork · hide · safe · cue · club

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cue — a hint
  7. club — a group
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. date — the fruit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cue — for pool
  19. club — for golf
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — a division
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fork — to eat with

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