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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: wind · fine · safe · file · bark · firm · rock · charge

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — decided
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. file — a document
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. file — a tool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — a price
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. file — a line of people

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