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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.

Make a worksheet

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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. key — for a lock
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. root — the cause
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. tube — the underground
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bass — low music
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. land — ground
  21. root — of a word
  22. perch — the fish
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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