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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.

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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: roll · race · mark · pass · trunk · snap · bark · cue

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bark — to shout
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cue — for pool
  6. race — humankind
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. snap — to click
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. roll — a list
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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