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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · cap · ruler · cue · bark · dip · staff · wake

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bark — to shout
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cue — for pool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cap — a hat
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. staff — employees

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