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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cue — a signal
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cue — for pool
  12. object — to protest
  13. rock — a stone
  14. object — an aim
  15. rock — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. branch — a division
  19. cue — a hint
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mark — a grade
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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