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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pound — a weight
  10. tube — a container
  11. mug — a face
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators

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