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

Word bank: pit · pass · rule · bark · hide · object

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. object — an aim
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rule — government
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rule — a law
  14. pit — a hole
  15. object — to protest
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. object — a thing

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