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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.

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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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Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fine — all right
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — clothes
  20. drill — army training
  21. bass — low music
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. band — a music group
  24. key — for a lock

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