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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — the animal
  6. last — to go on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. last — final
  9. current — happening now
  10. bark — to shout
  11. current — of water
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — to eat
  14. key — in music
  15. last — finally
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. current — electric
  24. coach — a trainer

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