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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. capital — a city
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fine — all right
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. capital — money
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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