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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. band — a music group
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mug — a face
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. band — a ring
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mug — a cup

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