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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · hide · mark · suit · pit · key · ball · wax

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bark — to shout
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — in a race
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — a trace
  14. suit — to fit
  15. key — for a lock
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mark — a grade

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