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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. last — final
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. chair — a leader
  13. last — to go on
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — to recline
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — finally

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