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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. present — there
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. present — the time now
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. present — a gift
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. key — the most important part

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