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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. current — of water
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rule — government
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bank — for money
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rule — a law
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bark — of a tree

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