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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. key — in music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. season — in sport
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bark — to shout
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. season — of the year
  20. lean — thin
  21. key — the most important part
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kick — a thrill

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