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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.

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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: mark · wake · chip · bark · lean · sharp · temple · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bark — to shout
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — a trace
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cue — a signal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chip — to eat
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lean — thin

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