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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — to shout
  4. club — a group
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. suit — to fit
  14. hand — help
  15. club — for golf
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mark — a trace
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a hint
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — an untruth

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