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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. board — a committee
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bark — to shout
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — to get on
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. key — in music
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. cap — a hat

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