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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 116 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: bat · stick · scale · drill · saw · mark · key · bark

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. scale — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. drill — army training
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mark — a trace
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — in music

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