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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · pitcher · bound · fan · sharp · key · roll · bark

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bark — to shout
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bound — obliged
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bound — certain
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. roll — a cake

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