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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — of water
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. current — electric
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. snap — to click
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. hand — help
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. current — happening now
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. hand — in cards

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