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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. key — the most important part
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. field — a subject
  8. band — a music group
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. field — farmland
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — to get on
  14. band — a ring
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. field — for sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bark — to shout
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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