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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a match
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wind — moving air
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bark — to shout
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cue — a signal
  18. press — to push
  19. drill — army training
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — the tool

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