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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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Word bank
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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: ruler · bark · fork · pass · rush · mate · cue · bat

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ruler — for measuring

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