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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: bore · ruler · mark · bark · key · content · perch · suit

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. content — the amount
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. suit — to fit
  23. content — happy
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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