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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: key · bark · patient · board · suit · lie · pound · wax

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — to get on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. key — in music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. board — a committee
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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