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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. ground — a position
  3. object — to protest
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. object — an aim
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — a hint
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. cue — a signal
  19. row — a line
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. object — a thing
  24. row — a quarrel

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