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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bear — the animal
  12. march — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. charge — a price
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. march — the month
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. prune — to trim

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