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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: bark · nail · ball · tube · pit · key · safe · object

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. object — to protest
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. key — the most important part
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bark — to shout
  11. key — in music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. object — a thing
  18. tube — a container
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — an aim
  24. tube — the underground

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