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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: swing · mate · staff · stock · saw · cue · ruler · bark

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. staff — employees
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mate — to breed
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — employees
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. mate — a partner
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mate — a friend
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. swing — in golf

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