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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. bass — low music
  4. object — to protest
  5. cue — a hint
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mark — a grade
  11. object — an aim
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bass — the instrument

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