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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pound — a weight
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — low music
  9. present — a gift
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. present — there
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. clip — a video
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pound — for dogs

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