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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — certain
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. scale — size or range
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — in music
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — obliged
  22. key — the most important part
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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