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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — a gift
  7. wake — a trail
  8. root — the cause
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. root — of a word
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — there
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. root — of a plant
  24. present — the time now

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