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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cue — for pool
  3. board — to get on
  4. can — a tin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — a short time
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spell — magic
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. spell — letters
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pop — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pop — to visit

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