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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · toast · key · lie · scale · drill · bark · rash

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. drill — army training
  5. rash — a series
  6. drill — a practice
  7. toast — bread
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. key — in music
  15. game — a match
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lie — to recline
  18. scale — size or range
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — the tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. scale — in music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — hasty

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