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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rock — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. suit — to fit

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