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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: bark · rash · stand · pitch · object · cabinet · saw · key

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rash — a series
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. key — in music
  9. object — an aim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitch — completely
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rash — hasty

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