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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. swing — music
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. swing — in golf
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. snap — to click
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bark — to shout
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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