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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 116 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. present — there
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. game — a match
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rule — government
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rule — a law
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — for pool
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bark — to shout
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. present — a gift
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — the time now

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