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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bark — to shout
  3. firm — decided
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mark — a trace
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — in music
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. court — for sport
  10. can — a tin
  11. court — of law
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. court — of a king
  20. key — for a lock
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a great time

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