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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: charge · cue · stick · bear · bay · wake · wind · bark

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. charge — a price
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cue — for pool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. charge — in control
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — a hint

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