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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 120 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
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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: cabinet · key · lie · wax · racket · bark · mouse · fall

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. key — in music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — to recline
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fall — the season
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wax — to grow
  24. racket — a loud noise

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