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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. key — in music
  9. bark — to shout
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick

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