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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
468
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: cue · stand · pitcher · wound · wake · fan · bark · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wake — a trail
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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