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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bass — low music
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cue — for pool
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. object — to protest
  15. bark — to shout
  16. object — an aim
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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