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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — the animal
  15. degree — an amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. safe — a strongbox

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