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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 120 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rock — a stone
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. can — a tin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. key — in music
  22. rock — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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