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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. firm — decided
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. track — to keep track
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bark — to shout
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. track — a song
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitch — completely

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