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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pop — soda
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. land — ground
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — the most important part
  18. land — a country
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — to come down
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. can — a tin

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