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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. last — finally
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. last — to go on
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bark — to shout
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — final
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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