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

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bark — to shout
  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