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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bark — to shout
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. spring — the season
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spring — of water
  9. drill — army training
  10. suit — in cards
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — a practice
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mark — a grade
  24. key — the most important part

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