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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cap — a hat
  4. season — in sport
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. season — of the year
  8. bark — to shout
  9. cap — a lid
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chair — a leader
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cap — of ice
  22. suit — clothes
  23. key — in music
  24. face — part of the head

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