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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: board · tear · swing · fan · object · key · ball · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. tear — from crying
  3. object — an aim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ball — a dance
  10. object — a thing
  11. swing — in golf
  12. tear — from crying
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — in music
  17. swing — music
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — to get on
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — to protest
  23. tear — to rip
  24. fan — a supporter

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