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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.

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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: squash · object · wake · patient · sharp · key · suit · bark

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bark — to shout
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — to crush
  9. key — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — for a lock
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wake — a trail
  20. object — a thing
  21. suit — in cards
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — with an edge

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