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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 124 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. face — to point toward
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cue — for pool
  16. roll — a cake
  17. object — to protest
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. object — an aim
  21. saw — the tool
  22. roll — a list
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cue — a signal

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