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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bark — to shout
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tear — from crying
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cue — a signal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. dip — to sink
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — from crying
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — to rip

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