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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. root — of a word
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. firm — steady
  9. bark — to shout
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — in music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. firm — a company
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — decided
  24. deal — to handle

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