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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — to recline
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — a signal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. net — for catching
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — a price
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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