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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. rest — what's left
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. saw — the tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — magic
  18. key — for a lock
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — a break
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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