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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. march — the month
  10. key — in music
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. key — for a lock
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — of the sea

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