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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bound — tied together
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — the season
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pop — music
  20. bound — certain
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bark — to shout
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mug — a face

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