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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. bark — to shout
  7. lie — to recline
  8. field — for sport
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bound — tied together
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. craft — boats
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. field — farmland
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — a signal
  22. field — a subject
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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