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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. field — farmland
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. key — for a lock
  20. tube — a container
  21. field — for sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — clothes

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