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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · pass · staff · bark · hide · fine

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. staff — employees
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pass — to spend time

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