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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.

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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: object · bark · net · straw · cabinet · date · deal · toast

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. object — to protest
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. net — in sport
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. object — an aim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. object — a thing
  12. net — after costs
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. net — for catching
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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