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

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bark — to shout
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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