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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 124 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mark — a grade
  8. race — a contest
  9. bank — for money
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rule — government
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — to shout
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. rule — a law
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bank — for money
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rock — music

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