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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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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: band · ruler · mug · fork · pound · pass · bark · rush

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rush — hurry
  19. band — a ring
  20. mug — a face
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pass — a permit

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