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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 120 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: bark · wind · tube · bank · fork · safe · mine · cabinet

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mine — for digging
  8. tube — a container
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fork — in a road
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — for money
  21. wind — moving air
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. safe — out of danger

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