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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: last · stick · mate · cue · sharp · band · key · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. last — finally
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. band — a ring
  12. key — the most important part
  13. last — to go on
  14. mate — a partner
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bark — to shout
  17. band — a music group
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. key — in music
  21. last — final
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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