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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. kick — in football
  6. pass — a permit
  7. current — happening now
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pound — a weight
  16. current — of water
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. current — electric
  20. bark — to shout
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ball — a great time

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