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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. content — happy
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. key — in music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bark — to shout
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — the amount
  17. scale — size or range
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. deal — an agreement

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