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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: field · toast · drill · sharp · bark · cabinet · pass · key

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — a permit
  6. key — in music
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. key — for a lock
  9. field — for sport
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bark — to shout
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. toast — bread
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. drill — army training
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. toast — the most admired

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