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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.

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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
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: net · jam · rule · key · bark · pitch · can · fork

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bark — to shout
  3. key — in music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rule — government
  11. net — in sport
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. net — after costs
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rule — a law
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. net — for catching
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. jam — a tight spot

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