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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: key · track · lie · mouse · bark · vault · straw · game

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. key — the most important part
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. track — a song
  7. key — in music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. key — for a lock
  11. game — a match
  12. track — a path
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — to keep track
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mouse — the animal

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