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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: ground · calf · ball · craft · mug · cue · stick · bark

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mug — a face
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ground — crushed
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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