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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: pound · pass · bank · foot · roll · racket · court · bulb

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pass — a permit
  3. court — of a king
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. court — of law
  7. roll — a cake
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. pound — a weight
  11. roll — a list
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. court — for sport

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