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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.

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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — to shout
  10. band — a music group
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — for pool
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — newspapers
  16. suit — clothes
  17. band — a ring
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — to fit

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