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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bark — to shout
  3. swing — in golf
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. band — a music group
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to sink
  8. key — for a lock
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. key — the most important part
  11. swing — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. band — a ring
  15. hand — help
  16. swing — to play on
  17. key — in music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cue — a signal

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