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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.

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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: bark · key · chip · saw · bear · suit · content · pass

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — to fit

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