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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cue — for pool
  4. last — finally
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cue — a signal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — to recline
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. last — to go on
  22. branch — a division
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. last — final

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