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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. key — the most important part
  12. last — finally
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. key — in music
  16. last — final
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. saw — the tool
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — the tool
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. firm — steady
  23. foot — a measure
  24. last — to go on

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