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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: spring · patient · key · bark · mouse · saw · ruler · stand

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. key — in music
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spring — a coil
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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