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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. land — a country
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. staff — a stick
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bark — to shout
  9. land — ground
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pound — a weight
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. land — to come down
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rock — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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