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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: lie · shower · key · nail · deal · board · bark · toast

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. shower — to wash
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a committee
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bark — to shout
  12. key — in music
  13. board — to get on
  14. key — the most important part
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. shower — rain
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. toast — bread
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. lie — an untruth

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