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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: staff · bark · cue · fine · stick · pop · wave · court

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. court — of law
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pop — soda
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. court — for sport
  16. staff — employees
  17. court — of a king
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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