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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: ball · stick · row · key · foot · bark · swing · pitch

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. row — a line
  7. swing — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. key — in music
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — in golf
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — a measure

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