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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cell — a phone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. object — an aim
  13. fall — the season
  14. mug — a cup
  15. object — a thing
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bark — to shout
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. object — to protest
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fall — to drop

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