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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
468
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: bore · chip · staff · bark · dip · stand · key · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. staff — employees
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — the most important part
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. staff — employees
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bark — to shout
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bore — to drill
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stand — for spectators

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