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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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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 · wind · racket · stick · key · object · track · chest

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. key — in music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. object — an aim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. object — to protest
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — the most important part
  10. track — a path
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — a thing
  17. track — a song
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chest — a box
  20. wind — moving air
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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