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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — a stone
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — to recline
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cue — for pool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hand — help
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rock — music
  13. stock — goods
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. hand — in cards
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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