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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fine — all right
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bark — of a tree

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