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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. current — of water
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pop — soda
  18. deal — to handle
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — music

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