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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. key — in music
  6. row — a line
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. content — the amount
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. suit — clothes
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. club — for dancing
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. suit — to fit
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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