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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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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. sharp — clever
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bark — to shout
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — in music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a trace
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. firm — steady
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mark — a grade
  24. key — the most important part

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