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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. board — to get on
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — the most important part
  10. board — a committee
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. scale — in music
  14. key — in music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. key — for a lock

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