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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. firm — steady
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. firm — a company
  19. cue — a hint
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. firm — decided
  22. cue — for pool
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. racket — for tennis

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