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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. drill — army training
  4. file — a document
  5. rock — a stone
  6. file — a line of people
  7. drill — the tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. rock — music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. file — a tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — for pool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bark — to shout
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rock — to move gently

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