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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bark — to shout
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. branch — a division
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. current — happening now
  14. pass — a permit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pound — a weight
  19. current — electric
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bound — certain
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pitcher — a jug

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