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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pop — music
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — clothes
  8. key — in music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — for a lock
  20. squash — to crush
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bark — to shout
  24. suit — in cards

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