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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.

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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lie — to recline
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cue — a hint

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