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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cue — for pool
  3. key — in music
  4. pound — a weight
  5. charge — electricity
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. charge — a price
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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