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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. object — an aim
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. file — a document
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — to protest
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. file — a tool
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. content — happy
  20. bark — to shout
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a line of people
  24. content — videos and posts

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