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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 · bark · racket · rush · jam · spell · stick · mine

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mine — for digging
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spell — magic
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bark — to shout
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — letters
  20. cue — a hint
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. spell — a short time

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