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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. lean — thin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — to bend
  15. content — happy
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — to shout
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. content — the amount
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. board — to get on
  24. pound — a weight

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