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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.

Make a worksheet

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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spring — the season
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. craft — boats
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. spring — of water
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. key — in music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spring — a coil
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bark — to shout
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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