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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — the most important part
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cue — for pool
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. shower — to wash
  20. key — in music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mate — a partner

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