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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.

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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: pound · bark · suit · object · snap · rule · cue · mark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. cue — a hint
  4. suit — in cards
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. object — an aim
  7. mark — a grade
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rule — government
  15. object — a thing
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pound — a weight
  18. object — to protest
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. snap — to click
  24. cue — for pool

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