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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: bark · mate · pitcher · bowl · pit · stick · pass · rush

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — a partner
  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