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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. key — for a lock
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cue — a hint
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cue — a signal
  18. key — in music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — a gift
  22. row — to paddle
  23. ball — a dance
  24. row — a line

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