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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — a gift
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pit — a hole
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. present — the time now
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. present — there
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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