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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 116 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
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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: present · key · bark · rush · fan · object · mouse · capital

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. object — an aim
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. object — to protest
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — in music
  8. capital — money
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — a thing
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — there
  24. mouse — for a computer

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