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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: row · rush · date · fine · bark · stick · safe · charge

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — all right
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. row — to paddle
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bark — to shout

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