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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cue — a signal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cue — for pool
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bark — to shout
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. foot — a measure
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cue — a hint
  12. swing — to play on
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bore — to drill
  24. temple — a place of worship

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