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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: bore · bark · season · bay · cabinet · lie · current · cue

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. current — of water
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bark — to shout
  8. season — in sport
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — electric
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. season — of the year
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cabinet — ministers

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