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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.

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: court · charge · bay · capital · bark · calf · key · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bark — to shout
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. court — of law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. charge — a price
  17. capital — money
  18. charge — in control
  19. key — the most important part
  20. capital — a city
  21. key — in music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bear — to put up with

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