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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: suit · key · press · mouse · content · date · club · bark

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. club — a group
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — clothes
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. press — a publisher
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. bark — to shout
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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