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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pop — music
  11. hand — help
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rock — music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cue — a signal

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