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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.

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

Word bank: chair · key · deal · kick · bark · leaves · nail · ruler

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. key — for a lock
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — in music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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