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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: ruler · racket · club · present · cue · date · squash · bark

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. date — the fruit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. squash — to crush
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. present — the time now
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. club — a group
  19. cue — a hint
  20. present — there
  21. club — for golf
  22. present — a gift
  23. squash — the sport
  24. ruler — a monarch

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