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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 116 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: bowl · firm · staff · bark · trunk · key · bound · sharp

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bound — certain
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — steady
  6. staff — a stick
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bound — tied together
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. firm — a company
  13. staff — employees
  14. bark — to shout
  15. key — in music
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bound — obliged
  21. key — for a lock
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bark — of a tree

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