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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bark — to shout
  3. net — for catching
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. net — in sport
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pit — a hole

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