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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chair — a leader
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kick — in football
  17. cue — a signal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rest — a break
  24. kick — with a leg

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