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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
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: pitcher · nail · chair · wound · staff · bark · key · bay

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. key — in music
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wound — an injury
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — the most important part

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