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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: content · bark · cabinet · safe · spell · hide · band · bank

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. content — the amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. content — happy
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. band — a ring
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — magic
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — letters

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