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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — employees
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a dance
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a great time
  22. key — in music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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