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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bark — to shout
  4. track — a path
  5. rule — a law
  6. charge — in control
  7. cue — a signal
  8. charge — a price
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. track — to keep track
  12. object — an aim
  13. deal — to handle
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — government
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. track — a song
  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