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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rush — hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bark — to shout
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — a thing
  19. key — in music
  20. object — to protest
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. object — an aim

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