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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: bay · bark · mouse · swing · bank · leaves · key · rule

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. swing — music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. swing — in golf
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — a law
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. key — in music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mouse — for a computer

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